Girdle construction



March 2, 1965 w. AGATONE GIRDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 7. 1961 FIG. 3

e u m Y .l R. ...M W E v 2 0 g N .ma T 4 1 m m w 2 rlo. F web W/v B o.TM@ iszz? 2 United States Patent Ofi ice 3,171,414 Patented Mar. 2, 19653,171,414 GIRDLE CONSTRUCTION William Agatone, New York, N.Y., assignor,by mesne assignments, to Geneseo, Inc., Nashville, Tenn., a corporationof Tennessee Filed Nov. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 150,801 3 Claims. (Cl.12S-541) This invention relates in general to a ladys foundationgarment, and more specifically to an improved girdle construction.

Heretofore, girdles have ben generally constructed as a tubular garmentcomposed of numerous panels stitched together in various ways to providefor support where desired. Such tubular girdles generally extend fromthe waist down to the upper portion of the wearers thighs in order toprovide for the smooth and desired slim silhouette. For this reason thelower regions of a girdle having a tubular construction tended torestrict the leg movements of the wearer. Since most girdles are formedof a stretchable material, such girdles further exerted an uncomfortablebinding effect on the wearer each time the wearer lifted or raised herlegs. Therefore, the known girdles greatly restricted the leg movementsof the wearer. Known tubular type girdle construction also weresubjected to the discomfort of riding up on the body, unless anchored bystockings and the like.

Therefore an object of this invention is to provide an improved girdleconstruction extending from the waist to the upper thighs that will givethe support and smooth silhouette appearance desired, while at the sametime enhancing freedom of movement for the wearers legs.

Another object is to provide a tubular type girdle with improvedanchoring qualities so as to minimize the discomfort of riding up of thegirdle while at the same time enhancing freedom of action forlegmovement.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision that theconstruction of the girdle is relatively simple, yet positive inoperation.

Another feature resides in the provision that the girdle provides thesupport desired while maintaining the smooth silhouette with the maximumof comfort and freedom of movement.

Other features and advantages will become readily apparent whenconsidered in view of the description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation View of the improved girdle construction ofthis invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary back elevation view of the girdle.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the girdle action during awalking movement.

FIG. 4 illustrates the girdle action during an exaggerated leg liftingmovement.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown the improved girdleconstruction 1t) of this invention. Essentially, the girdle comprises atubular garment which is adapted to extend from the waist of a wearer tothe upper portion of the thighs. The girdle comprises a central frontpanel 11, a back panel 12 and enwrapping side panels 13 and 14. Asshown, the opposed upper marginal portion 11A, 11B of the front panel 11tapers upwardly and inwardly. In this illustrated embodiment the centralfront panel 11 comes to a point at the waistline of the garment. Thelower portion of the center front panel 11 is defined by opposedmarginal edge portion 11C, 11D which tend to follow the natural bodyline formed at the junction of the leg and the torso of the body. In theillustrated embodiment the center front panel 11 is formed of a suitablenon-stretchable material 1S which is covered with a layer of decorativelace material 16.

Opposite the front panel 11 the girdle construction is provided with aback panel 12 that extends through the full length of the girdle 10, andwhich has slightly outwardly bowed longitudinal edge portion 12A, 12B atthe center thereof. It will be noted that the back panel 12 is formed ofa stretchable material that will give or stretch in a longitudinaldirection only, i.e. a one way stretch in the direction of the indicatedarrows in FIG. 2.

Interconnecting the front and back panels 11, 12 are a pair of sideenwrapping panels 13 and 14. Each of said side panels 13, 14 isconnected to the front and rear panel 11 and 12 by a sewn seam at theconnecting edges thereof.

In accordance with this invention each of the side enwrapping panels 13and 14 is provided with a lower front marginal edge 13A, 14A,respectively, which with the marginal edge 11C, 11D respectively of thefront panel 11 defines an arcuate shaped cut-out portion to accommodatethe front upper and side portion of the wearers thighs. Thus, in theassembly of the front, back and connecting side panels only, the tubulargirdle construction 10 defined thereby has void or cut-out portions foraccommodating or exposing the upper front side portions of the thighs ofthe wearer. It is to be further noted that each of the side panels 13,14 is formed of a material having a universal stretch; i.e. it willstretch in all directions from a given point.

In accordance with this invention a separate and distinct thigh panel18, 19 is fitted into the notched out portion defined by the marginaledges 11C, 11D of the front panel and the edges 13A, 14A respectively ofthe connected side panels 13, 14. As shown, the respective thigh panels18, 19 are secured to the front and adjacent side panels 11, 13 and 14by faggoting 20. Preferably the thigh panels 18, 19 are formed by amaterial having a universal stretch, although a material having ahorizontal stretch may be used therefor. Thus the thigh panels 18, 19complete the girdle construction 10. 1f desired ribboned loops 21circumferentially spaced about the lower marginal edge of the girdle maybe provided to accommodate the garter fasteners 22.

In operation the girdle 10 is fitted to the body so that the thighpanels 18, 19 are positioned so that they enwrap the upper front andside portion of the wearers thighs, with the faggoting extending alongthe marginal portions 11C, 11D of the center front panel 15 followingsubstantially the natural crotch line of the body formed at the junctionof the leg to the body.

The construction is such that when the wearer raises her leg, it liftsthe corresponding thigh panel of the raised leg across the base portionfirst. Since the front panel 11 is made of non-stretchable material itacts to anchor or restrict stretching at the center portion. Thus thestretch starts at the side panels 13, 14 to effect stretching of theside panels 13, 14 and the thigh panels 18, 19 at a variable rate whichwill enhance freedom of movement. In raising of the leg, the faggotingwhich tends to hug the body and follow the natural creases of the body,serves as an anchor for center panel 15. Also the faggoting 20 hassufficient elasticity to further accommodate itself to the movement ofthe leg and it forms a breaking point between the stretchable sidepanels 13, 14 and the associated thigh panels 18, 19.

Thus, as seen in FIG. 4, exaggerated leg movements are freelyaccomplished without uncomfortable binding about the thighs and withoutriding up of the girdle 10.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes there isillustrated and described herein the best form and mode of operation ofthe invention now known to the inventor, those skilled in the art willunderstand that changes may be made in the form of the apparatusdisclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention garment,said garment including a center front panelV formed of a-non-Stretchable material, a V,back panel formed of a stretchablematerial, a pair of enwrapping side panels disposed between Said centerfront panel and back panel interconnecting along'a Seam with said centerfront panel and Yback panel respectively to complete the tubularconfiguration of the garment, said Sideenwrapping panels being formed ofa stretchable material, said center front panel and each connected sidepanel defining a connected lower edge -portion shaped as a continuousline to define a cut out portion in the lower front portion of thegarment for accommodating the upper and side portions of the wearersthighs and which continuous line is spaced from the Seam connectingsaid'back panel` to the respective Side panels, whereby Said lower edge,-portion serves as an anchor for the respective Side and front panelsto the body of the wearer, and a thigh panel connected to said front andconnected side panels along said continuous line, -Saidthigh panelsbeing connected =to Ythe respective Vfront and connected 'side panels byfa'ggoting, and said thigh panels being Yformed of a Stretchablematerial whereby the stretch ofy saidrespective thigh panels panel.-

2. A girdle construction comprising a one piece tubulan is unrestrictedand independent ofthe stretch of Said back ofV enwrapping side panelsdisposed 4between said center l frontl panel and back lpanelinterconnecting along a seamthe Seam connecting the back panel to eachof said' SideV panels, whereby Said lower edge portionserves as an bodyof the wearer, and a thigh panel connected to said front and connectedside panels, said thigh panels being connected to the respective Vfrontand connected side panelsby faggoting, and said thigh .panels beingformed of a material. having a universal stretch whereby the stretch ofSaid respective thigh panels is unrestricted and independent of theStretch of Said' back panel.

3. A girdle construction comprising a one piece tubular garment adaptedto encircle the body Aof a wearer extendingfrom the waist line tothekupper portion of the thighs, said Vgarment including a substantiallydiamond shaped center front panel formed of a non-'stretchable material,a layer of lace material covering Said center 'front panel, a back panelformed of a yStre'tchable material having longitudinal give only, a pair'of enwrapping side panels disposed between said center front `panel andback panel inter-connecting with said center fron-t panel and back panelto complete the tubular configuration of the garment, said Side-enwrapping panels being -forrnedof a material having .a universalstretch, Said center front panel land each connected side panel defininga lower edge portion shaped to deline yan arcuate cutout portion in thelower front portion of the garment for accommodating the upper front andside portions of the vwearers thighs whereby the edge defining said cutout is defined by said center front panel and respective side panelsonly and serves as an anchor for the respective side and front panels tothe body of theV wearer, and a thigh panel connected to said front andconnected side panels to occupy said cutout portion, said thigh panelsbei-ng connected fthereto by faggoting, and said thigh panels beingformed of a material having a universal Stretchso that during a legraising'body movementY said side panel and thigh panels are free tostretch independently and at a variable rate to enhance yfreedom ofmovement and whereby the stretch of said thigh panel is unrestricted byIand independent ofthe Stretch of said back panel.

References Cited by the `Examiner UNITED STATES; PATENTS 2,519,611 s/5o,Thalman 12s-.54o 2,551,139 5/*51 Kops 12s-541 2,607,037v s/52 Kahn12s-54o 3,015,334 1/62 Kaupp 12s-542 Y DELBERT B. LOWE, PrimaryExaminer.

ADELE M- EAGER, Examiner.,

1. A GIRDLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A ONE PIECE TUBULAR GARMENT, SAIDGARMENT INCLUDING A CENTER FRONT PANEL FORMED OF A NON-STRETCHABLEMATERIAL, A BACK PANEL FORMED OF A STRETCHABLE MATERIAL, A PAIR OFENWRAPPING SIDE PANELS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CENTER FRONT PANEL AND BACKPANEL INTERCONNECTING ALONG A SEAM WITH SAID CENTER FRONT PANEL AND BACKPANEL RESPECTIVELY TO COMPLETE THE TUBULAR CONFIGURATION OF THE GARMENT,SAID SIDE ENWRAPPING PANELS BEING FORMED OF A STRTCHABLE MATERIAL, SAIDCENTER FRONT PANEL AND EACH CONNECTED SIDE PANEL DEFINING A CONNECTEDLOWER EDGE PORTION SHAPED AS A CONTINUOUS LINE TO DEFINE A CUT OUTPORTION IN THE LOWER FRONT PORTION OF THE GARMENT FOR ACCOMMODATING THEUPPER AND SIDE PORTIONS OF THE WEARER''S THIGHS AND WHICH CONTINUOUSLINE IS SPACED FROM THE SEAM CONNECTING SAID BACK PANEL TO THERESPECTIVE SIDE PANELS, WHEREBY SAID LOWER EDGE PORTION SERVES AS ANANCHOR FOR THE RESPECTIVE SIDE AND FRONT PANELS TO THE BODY OF THEWEARER, AND A THIGH PANEL CONNECTED TO SAID FRONT AND CONNECTED SIDEPANELS ALONG SAID CONTINUOUS LINE, SAID THIGH PANELS BEING CONNECTED TOTHE RESPECTIVE FRONT AND CONNECTED SIDE PANELS BY FAGGOTING, AND SAIDTHIGH PANELS BEING FORMED OF A STRETCHABLE MATERIAL WHEREBY THE STRETCHOF SAID RESPECTIVE THIGH PANELS IS UNRESTRICTED AND INDEPENDENT OF THESTRETCH OF SAID BACK PANEL.